Gqeberha chef, Christine Simpson, is making magic in the kitchen at the Fifa World cup in Qatar.
When asked by Ralph Gottschalk, the globally renowned chef and owner of the Pastryworks Bakery in Gqeberha, if she wanted to join his team at the international sporting event, Simpson leaped at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
She took some time out from her hectic schedule to say hi to Algoa FM Country and give us an insight into what the experience has been like.
Simpson began her food journey in 2005 at Silwood Kitchen, a French-based cookery school in Cape Town, saying of the experience,“ I am so grateful to have such a strong foundation to build on. I believe that grounding has enabled me to understand real depth of flavour.”
A stint in Spar retail followed, then it was onto the UK in 2011 to work at Babington House in Somerset, Bertinet bakery in Bath, Jamie Oliver’s cookery school, and Leith School of Food and Wine in London.
She then returned home to Gqeberha and created the Aruna Foods brand.
As Simpson states on aruna, “Making food for people brings me so much pleasure and the hours spent preparing are worth every satisfied belly”.
The 22nd edition of the tournament started on November 20 and will end on the 18 December, it is the first time it has been played in the Arab world.
